1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printing system in which a personal computer (hereinafter will be referred to as “PC”) is connected via a network to a plurality of printing apparatuses such as MFPs (Multi Function Peripherals) that are digital multifunctional complex machines, and a preferable one among the plurality of printing apparatuses is easily set as the default printing apparatus by a user using the PC, a printing apparatus, a terminal apparatus, a print setting method, and a print setting program that are preferably used in the printing system.
2. Description of the Related Art
The following description sets forth the inventor's knowledge of related art and problems therein and should not be construed as an admission of knowledge in the prior art.
With the advance of network technology, there have been more offices, etc. where a plurality of printing apparatuses are installed on a constructed network and those are selectively used depending on user's intention. In such a circumstance, a personal computer that is a user's using terminal apparatus usually carries installed printer drivers for the respective plurality of printing apparatuses on the network so that he/she could use those. And the respective plurality of printing apparatuses on the network are displayed on a display of the user's using PC when he/she intends to use a printing apparatus, and he/she selects a preferable one among the displayed printing apparatuses. Further, if the user sets in advance a preferable printing apparatus as the default printing apparatus, in other words, his/her usual printing apparatus, then he/she will perform printing by the preferable printing apparatus without the bother of making a selection every time.
However, if the user would like to use a particular printing apparatus because it is located in the most vicinity of his/her place for example, he/she hardly recognizes the particular one among the plurality of printing apparatuses displayed on a display of his/her using PC, in many cases. Further, it is all the worse in the case where there exist a plurality of printing apparatuses of a model that is the same as the particular printing apparatus. In this case, the user needs to inquire a MFP administrator for information about the particular printing apparatus.
According to Japanese Patent Publication No. 3184687, once a user's using PC is connected to a network, printer drivers for the printers on the network are automatically installed on the PC, then the user performs printing using the installed printer drivers.
In the art disclosed in the publication right above, printer drivers for the plurality of printing apparatuses on the network are automatically installed on the PC. However, a user has to set manually a preferable printing apparatus as the default printing apparatus by selecting among the plurality of printing apparatuses via a screen displayed on the PC. And, the user still needs to inquire a network administrator or a MFP administrator for information about his/her preferable printing apparatus. That means that the art disclosed in the publication above does not give a fundamental solution against this issue, neither.
The description herein of advantages and disadvantages of various features, embodiments, methods, and apparatus disclosed in other publications is in no way intended to limit the present invention. Indeed, certain features of the invention may be capable of overcoming certain disadvantages, while still retaining some or all of the features, embodiments, methods, and apparatus disclosed therein.